Stoplight work to begin

Neosho residents should see work on a stoplight at Kodiak Road and Highway 60 starting in the spring.

Whitney Saporito

Neosho residents should see work on a stoplight at Kodiak Road and Highway 60 starting in the spring.

The Neosho Transportation Development District's board of directors announced Friday that the Missouri Department of Transportation has issued a notice to proceed on the long-awaited stoplight.

Work is expected to begin in early March, with a June 30 completion date.

"I think it's really good news to the City of Neosho and our citizens that we're getting started on one of the first projects out there that's really near and dear to a lot of people's hearts," said board member Steve Roark. "That's great news for the citizens that travel out there."

Richard Davidson, Neosho mayor, said the installation of the light will benefit Neosho residents.

"While we had hoped that light would be in before the end of the year, seeing that it will now be installed is a good thing for Neosho," Davidson said. "When that light is fully operational it will make Neosho safer for our citizens and our school children."

The board of directors approved a change order for the project on Friday, bringing the total project cost to $824,133.

The project cost was increased by $39,715.48 due to a delay from the original project start date of September 2012, according to TDD consultant Darrell Gross. "(MoDOT) had originally set a notice to proceed for September 2012 and due to the litigation and such they put that on hold," Gross said, referring to an August petition filed by the City of Neosho questioning the TDD's validity. "Under MoDOT's contract…there are provisions for liquidated damages, delays, possible material increases and so forth. They have negotiated it out to $39,715.48."

Gross said the Neosho TDD would be responsible for funding that increase.

According to the change order presented to TDD directors, the increase in costs is due to five areas affected by the delay: the subcontractor and supplier cost increases, which come to an additional fee of $5,669.71, increased material costs of $5,994.15, $4,500 in costs associated with working in the spring as opposed to the fall, rescheduling labor at a cost of $4,006.45, and $19,545.17 to arrange supervision for construction.

Gross said MoDOT is expected to let each of the TDD's projects out for bid by June 2013, which includes construction of a north outer road, south outer road and extension of Hale McGinty Drive.

Gross said MoDOT would likely hold a public hearing by the spring of 2013, and the plans would also go before the city for approval before the projects are let out for bid.

"I have Dec. 31, it's doable," Gross said of the projects' completion date. "It's allowing about six months to do construction on the roads, which they would quit doing any kind of work that required paving by probably November."

"This is a big year, this is the year for us," said board chairman Ray Stipp.

In other business, TDD board members:

• Voted to approve a budget for 2013, which includes $7,394,958 in expenses, $7,513,565 in total income and $118,607 in net operating income.

• Voted to make an amendment to the TDD's bylaws to change a requirement that says the district's budget must be submitted to the City of Neosho for the city's review not less than 90 days prior to the intended day of approval.

Stipp said the provision came from a CID statute requiring that, and it is not required under TDD statute.

"This is kind of a correction to our bylaws," Stipp said.

• Voted to approve a final 2012 budget. Gross said each time a bill was paid the budget was amended to reflect that. Friday's vote approved the budget with each of the changes the board had previously approved.